RESPONSE TO BARBAROSSA 100 YEARS OF THE ROYAL AIR FORCE
June 2018 FLYPAST 91to gain height. While still climbing
steeply, we were attacked by Me 109s
from out of the sun – Nos 3 and 4
were shot down and did not survive.
“The Gp Capt managed to get back
to the UK but I was hit in the engine
and lost all power. I was not able to
jump as any attempt to slow down
was an invitation for further attacks,
so I landed wheels-up in a pea field
between two canals and was captured
hiding in a cornfield after about 30
minutes. We were an easy target and I
was lucky to survive.”
Five more pilots were shot down
during the day and three more
wounded for RAF claims of ten
destroyed. One Bf 109 was credited to
Flt Lt Roy Mottram of 54 Squadron
who became an ace. Wg Cdr Douglas
Bader leading the Tangmere Wing
was also credited with a Bf 109 near
Boulogne and shared a second with
Sgt Jeff West of 616 Squadron.
DUKE’S FIRST
Neville Duke of 92 vividly described
in his diary for June 25 the first of his
28 victories. (He’d previously notched
up two Bf 109s as ‘damaged’ on April
26 and June 23.) “I was attacked by
two 109s from astern but saw them
just in time and did a terrific turn,
seeing tracer whistle past behind.
Came out over Dunkirk and passed
two 109s on way.
“Turned and saw dogfight going on
near Dunkirk so went back and joined
in. Sat on the tail of a 109 which was
shooting
at another ‘Spit’. Fired several bursts
of cannon and machine gun into him
from about 50 yards range. Glycol
streamed out and he started going
down.
“Got just above him and looked
down into his cockpit. Pilot was
crouched over stick and did not look
up. Think perhaps I hit him. The
109 went down and crashed a few
miles inland. Sped home at sea level
at terrific bat. Engine stopped just as
I touched down on ’drome for lack of
petrol!”
On the lunchtime operation
Luftwaffe pilots claimed nine Spitfires
for the loss of three Bf 109s including
Fw Bartholomaeus Eierstock of 9/JG
26 who was shot down in flames off
Dunkirk. Three other Messerschmitts
force landed with damage. Both JG 2
and JG 26 were in action again during
the late afternoon’s Circus.SMALL MARGINS
The next day, June 26, saw RAF
fighters again engaged over the
Channel with Sgt ‘Bill’ Johnson of
145 Squadron noting in his logbook:
“Medium cover Dunkirk-St Omer.
Me 109F destroyed. Sgt Macbeth
missing.”
The following day the RAF
mounted three ‘Rodeos’ (fighter
sweeps), a ‘Roadstead’ (anti-shipping
attack) and in the evening a Circus.
Enemy fighters countered all of these
incursions.
Down from 12 Group, 266
Squadron flew its first Circus and
Sgt Lewis destroyed a Bf 109, but Plt
Offs Cook and Holland were lost.
In that same action Flt Lt Walter
Lawson of 19 Squadron had made
a quarter attack on the rear Bf 109E
about 10 miles east of St Omer. The
Messerschmitt pulled up and stalled as
glycol vapour poured from under the
wings, the fighter entering a spiral dive
before flames enveloped it.
Flying P8460, Sgt David Cox was
also successful, as he explained to the
author: “I managed to get behind“Any man or State who fi ghts against Nazism will have our aid...
That is our policy and that is our declaration”Above
Blenheim IVs of 107
Squadron suffered
heavily in the
diversionary attack
on Mardyck on June- 107 SQN RECORDS
Below
The bombers for all
the Circus operations
of late June 1941 were
Blenheims from 2
Group, including 21
Squadron, based at
Watton. N FRANKLIN